Letters to the editor for Tuesday, September 27, 2011

You can tell a lot about candidates by the way they campaign for office. Consider Jonathan Sennett's efforts to earn your vote in November for Ulster County District Attorney.

You can tell a lot about candidates by the way they campaign for office. Consider Jonathan Sennett's efforts to earn your vote in November for Ulster County District Attorney.

First, day in and day out, he reaches out to all voters. He is everywhere in our county.

Second, his campaign conversations stay focused on our important issues and concerns.

And paramount, he tells it like it is, clearly communicating and committing to an agenda designed to improve the quality of life in Ulster County.

Watching and thinking about how Jonathan Sennett has chosen to campaign, we quickly realize that he is a people's candidate reaching out to everyone; energetic and hard-working; persevering, courageous and resilient; committed to fairness; informed and smart; optimistic; and determined to make a positive difference.

We need and deserve the solid leadership offered by Jonathan Sennett. He has the requisite character, skills and experience to be the Ulster County district attorney. Watch him campaign; see for yourself how he distinguishes himself as a person of integrity, competence and passion.

I am voting for Jonathan Sennett on Tuesday, Nov. 8.

Maryann Fallek

New Paltz

May the autumnal equinox remind us that our ancestors all were reverent to the spinning earth which, sustaining us by her fruits, bears us around the universe, tilting and swaying as she goes. All we needed to do was take care of the gardens.

Vicki Matovic

Salisbury Mills

You report that tea party Republicans are horrified by Obama's plan to put people back to work and maybe raise taxes on billionaires. They call it "class warfare" and "socialism" — we call it traditional American fair play, justice and democracy. The only people who fear "class warfare" are the rich — the bankers and their ilk who pay the lobbyists and buy the Congress to pass the laws that let them get away with it. We all have to pay taxes and should be assessed as Roosevelt declared, "according to ability to pay." The Republicans keep trying to sell the idea that taxing the rich reduces employment. That has no basis in fact. If Congress doesn't pass the excellent Obama jobs legislation, we will face another "Great Depression" that will make today's recession look like prosperity.

John Jacobs

Highland

I just read the statement by Rep. Nan Hayworth in reference to Mr. Obama's plan for reducing the deficit in part by repealing Mr. Bush's tax cuts for the wealthiest. She refers to taking "dollars away from the true engine of job growth." The loss of jobs began toward the end of the previous administration, after the implementation of those tax breaks. As far as I can recall being told, the addition of sugar in a gas tank is certain to clog up the engine. So, Rep. Hayworth.is that what happened to the true engine of job growth? Too much sugar in the fuel tank? An interesting parallel.

Catherine Colacchio

Newburgh

We've all heard of Obamacare, right? And maybe Romneycare, too? Possibly Perrycare from the Republican debates? Here's another to add to the "care" list — Hayworthcare. The joke is that she doesn't. What a shame it took a calamitous natural disaster to expose her for what she is. Irene is now her Katrina. The Republicans better find another candidate for '012.

Joel R. Solonche

Blooming Grove

I have been commuting from Middletown, N.Y. to Paramus, N.J. for 23 years. The last few years have made me think about retiring because I do not want to die on the road. People do not use blinkers anymore. They speed up to get in front of you when there isn't enough room — no blinker. They make turns at the last second — no blinker. People tailgate and flash their high beams to get in front of you when there are 50 cars ahead. Where are they going? This is all being done at 65 miles per hour or more. Then there is the car with one high beam on and one low beam. It's very annoying to have someone right on your bumper with one high beam on.

Then there is the race car driver weaving in and out of traffic, cutting people off all over to get one car length better then they had. The commute has become very stressful and dangerous. Is it worth it? To possibly die to get 2 cars lengths better? Please stop the NASCAR commuting!